Minneapolis Review

Two men have been indicted in a tax fraud conspiracy involving over three million dollars, as announced by U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. The indictment charges Henry Remington Herod, 42, from Minneapolis, and Matthew McDowell, 44, from Port Allen, Louisiana.

Court documents reveal that between April 2022 and May 2023, Herod and McDowell conspired to defraud the United States by filing false federal income tax returns for themselves and others. These returns contained incorrect employment, income, and tax credit information leading to refunds that were not rightfully theirs.

For the tax year 2021, Herod filed false returns claiming refundable sick and family leave tax credits meant for self-employed individuals affected by COVID-19. In the following year, both defendants filed fraudulent claims for refundable tax credits on fuel taxes supposedly used for off-highway business purposes. Together they submitted 115 fraudulent returns claiming approximately $3,032,839 in undeserved refunds.

Herod faces one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and nine counts of making false claims. Both he and McDowell appeared in U.S. District Court in December 2024 and were released under certain conditions.

The case stems from an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation with Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew C. Murphy prosecuting.

"An indictment is merely an allegation," stated the release. "All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law."